DIY Wedding Invitations
November 17, 2012 8:03 AM Subscribe
My boyfriend just proposed! We've decided to skip "save the date" announcements and move straight to invitations. I'm looking for DIY stationary stores in NYC and or templates. I'd love quirky, nerdy, unusual invites, but usually the DIY ones are boring and generic.
I'm looking for help with the following:
1) Stationary or card stores in NYC that I could potentially buy an invitation kit from.
2) Online websites to purchase unique, memorable invites and / or kits to make them myself.
3) Online or in-store (NYC) template ideas to make my own wedding invites.
Please keep in mind I do not want to spend a fortune on wedding invitations (hence making them myself). I think it would be fun to have an afternoon "crafting" and making them myself. We plan on inviting about 100 people. I'm an engineer and he works in software so nerdy, but fun is good. We like to travel and this will be a destination wedding, likely in Los Angeles.
I'm looking for help with the following:
1) Stationary or card stores in NYC that I could potentially buy an invitation kit from.
2) Online websites to purchase unique, memorable invites and / or kits to make them myself.
3) Online or in-store (NYC) template ideas to make my own wedding invites.
Please keep in mind I do not want to spend a fortune on wedding invitations (hence making them myself). I think it would be fun to have an afternoon "crafting" and making them myself. We plan on inviting about 100 people. I'm an engineer and he works in software so nerdy, but fun is good. We like to travel and this will be a destination wedding, likely in Los Angeles.
My invitations were made with a template from E.M. Papers. I had a very small wedding and just got invitations, but they have packages for matching RSVP cards and everything else. I had them printed and cut at a local copy shop, and bought plain envelopes at Michaels. They were really beautiful, and not too expensive.
posted by apricot at 8:41 AM on November 17, 2012
posted by apricot at 8:41 AM on November 17, 2012
Best answer: Congrats! So just a heads up, DIY invitations are often boring or plain-looking because they're a LOT of work, so maybe set aside more than an afternoon and keep the design simple until you're sure you're willing to make 100 copies of it. As for craft stores, I spent a lot of time at Pearl Paint in Chinatown when I undertook the task of making paper flowers in lieu of pricey real ones. There is one floor solely devoted to beautiful sheets of papers, some with pressed flowers, some with nifty prints. I also like Paper Source in Brooklyn for adorable prints and stamps, though they run pricier. They also have some kits.
posted by zoomorphic at 8:42 AM on November 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by zoomorphic at 8:42 AM on November 17, 2012 [2 favorites]
There are so, so many options on Etsy - just head over there and do a search. You'll definitely find fun quirky ones and there are a lot of designers who are willing to customize just for you. They will send samples, too, so you can see them in person before buying.
posted by echo0720 at 8:53 AM on November 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by echo0720 at 8:53 AM on November 17, 2012 [1 favorite]
I definitely recommend Etsy, for both printables and for complete invitations and Save the Date cards. Also, I want to caution that making invitations may be much less fun than it sounds. I was somewhat surprised at how unfun that part was, and we ended up changing plans because, despite being crafty, it was taking a really long time and being less satisfying than I'd hoped to make my own.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 9:06 AM on November 17, 2012
posted by Nimmie Amee at 9:06 AM on November 17, 2012
Please keep in mind I do not want to spend a fortune on wedding invitations (hence making them myself).
If this is the main reason for making your invitations, be aware that DIY projects can sometimes be more expensive than paying somebody else to do it, because you have to buy a ton of supplies you don't already have. Check out some low-cost internet printers, like VistaPrint or Costco.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:11 AM on November 17, 2012
If this is the main reason for making your invitations, be aware that DIY projects can sometimes be more expensive than paying somebody else to do it, because you have to buy a ton of supplies you don't already have. Check out some low-cost internet printers, like VistaPrint or Costco.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:11 AM on November 17, 2012
Seconding Etsy. We got custom-made library-card invites designed and printed for two figures. Not even high two figures.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:22 AM on November 17, 2012
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:22 AM on November 17, 2012
you can get rubber stamps made at casey rubber stamps which cuts down on a decent amount of the work of making 100 invitations and can look really lovely. paper presentations has a huge supply. one caveat, it's good to try your stamp on a number of different stocks as they all react slightly differently. congrats and enjoy!
posted by memi at 9:25 AM on November 17, 2012
posted by memi at 9:25 AM on November 17, 2012
When I was browsing links to free printables, I noticed this one site had a few cute designs for invitations and multiple color options for the designs and text: http://www.weddingchicks.com/freebies/invitation-suites/
posted by PY at 11:23 AM on November 17, 2012
posted by PY at 11:23 AM on November 17, 2012
I think it would be fun to have an afternoon "crafting" and making them myself.
Just so you know, while all of the above are great suggestions, none of these is an afternoon of crafting. In my experience, it's more like 6 - 8 hours of simultaneously stressful and tedious detailing and assembly -- which is why some people do a little thing with a handful of friends one afternoon and do an invitation assembly party. I've done this several times now, and it's the paper cutting and the printing - oh God the printing - that is the most horrendous part. I would suggest a printshop for at least those two elements.
Also, if you want to DIY it, by all means DIY it, but before you commit to doing this specifically to save money, you should look at the actual costs of pro printing because it may not be what you think it is.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:52 AM on November 17, 2012
Just so you know, while all of the above are great suggestions, none of these is an afternoon of crafting. In my experience, it's more like 6 - 8 hours of simultaneously stressful and tedious detailing and assembly -- which is why some people do a little thing with a handful of friends one afternoon and do an invitation assembly party. I've done this several times now, and it's the paper cutting and the printing - oh God the printing - that is the most horrendous part. I would suggest a printshop for at least those two elements.
Also, if you want to DIY it, by all means DIY it, but before you commit to doing this specifically to save money, you should look at the actual costs of pro printing because it may not be what you think it is.
posted by DarlingBri at 11:52 AM on November 17, 2012
I only know Paper Source (mentioned above--there's also one in Manhattan) but you could go there and the staff will discuss with you in detail what is possible. (Disclaimer--I have a friend who works there who does just that.)
posted by Obscure Reference at 1:58 PM on November 17, 2012
posted by Obscure Reference at 1:58 PM on November 17, 2012
I am very picky, but I had a great experience with Storkie.com. They had wonderful options that balanced formal with cute, and we could get matching stamps as well. It was perfect for our design-conscious but not fussy wedding. Very customizable, arrived quickly.
We went with this style, which had a lot of customization available.
posted by Madamina at 2:24 PM on November 17, 2012
We went with this style, which had a lot of customization available.
posted by Madamina at 2:24 PM on November 17, 2012
As a data point, my E.M. Papers invitations, linked to in my comment above, ended up being about $1.25 each, including buying the envelopes. That was cheaper than Vista Print, and looked much prettier and higher quality than the Vista Print invitations I have seen.
posted by apricot at 5:00 PM on November 17, 2012
posted by apricot at 5:00 PM on November 17, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:39 AM on November 17, 2012